Dayatthespa named New York-bred Horse of the Year

Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Dayatthespa has been honored as New York's Horse of the Year for 2014.

Dayatthespa, already winner of the Eclipse Award as North America’s champion turf female of last year, was named New York’s 2014 Horse of the Year on Monday during the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. annual awards banquet.

Dayatthespa was also named New York’s champion turf female and older female. The daughter of City Zip finished her 2014 campaign with three wins from four starts, earning $1,450,000, highlighted by a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

Dayatthespa, bred in New York by Castellare DiCracchiolo Stable, Cracchiolo, and Goldsher, was owned during her racing career by Jerry and Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon, and Bradley Thoroughbreds, and was trained by Chad Brown. The mare was sold to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings for $2.1 million at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale two days after her Breeders’ Cup triumph.

Dayatthespa is out of the unplaced Doc’s Leader mare M’Lady Doc, who was named New York’s Broodmare of the Year. All four of the late mare’s foals to race are winners.

Also taking home multiple awards was Grade 1 winner Palace, who was named top male sprinter and older male. Also by City Zip, Palace won three of eight starts and earned $797,500 last year, with wins in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes and Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, as well as the Grade 2 True North Stakes.

Palace is owned by Antonio Miuccio and trained by New York Trainer of the Year Linda Rice. He was bred by the Peter J. Callahan Revocable Trust.

Artemis Agrotera earned honors as both New York’s top female sprinter and 3-year-old filly on a campaign that saw her win three of five starts, including the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes and Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap. She earned $541,800. She raced as a homebred for Chester and Mary Broman and is trained by Michael Hushion.

The Bromans were named the New York’s Breeders of the Year for the third time, following honors in 2004 and 2011.

Upstart, now a leading Kentucky Derby candidate, was named the state’s champion 2-year-old male. Samraat, who won the Grade 3 Withers and Grade 3 Gotham and ran fifth in the 2014 Kentucky Derby, was honored as champion 3-year-old male.

Following is a complete list of winners from the NYTB awards banquet, as selected by a ballot of New York turf writers, handicappers, chart callers, and racing analysts.